According to the design firm, the Cambiano — named for its native city — is an “elegant and refined sport sedan,” yet its smooth form, arched fenders, and long hood recall classic gran turismos of yesteryear. Pininfarina claims inspiration came from the Flaminia-based Lancia Florida II of the late 1950s, but the Cambiano’s chiseled, upswept nose and narrow grille opening are vaguely reminiscent of Pininfarina’s one-off 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine.

Despite the fanciful, glass-intensive roofline and the unusual three-door configuration with pillarless, rear-hinged rear door on the passenger’s side, the Pininfarina Cambiano isn’t an incredibly fanciful design. Its lack of intricate detailing and ornamentation is deliberate, as it forces bystanders to focus instead on its clean, crisp lines and fluidic surface development.

Fabio Filippini, Pininfarina’s chief creative officer, told Automotive News his team tried “to create a pure form with a strong impact, which is Pininfarina’s DNA. I wanted to create a strong visual impact into the concept car using as few lines as possible, while avoiding any decoration.”

Pininfarina’s press materials claim it paid “great attention to the environment” when selecting powertrain for the concept car. Much like a similar vehicle crafted by Fisker Automotive, the Cambiano concept car is a plug-in hybrid — although its specifications are a bit unique.

On the Cambiano, each wheel is driven by an individual 60-kW electric motor, giving it all-wheel drive traction if so needed. A battery pack of undisclosed specification reportedly provides 127 miles of range on a single charge. Once the battery pack is depleted of charge, a small, diesel-fueled gas turbine engine powers a generator to both recharge the battery and power the drive motors.

According to the manufacturer, the Pininfarina Cambiano offers nearly 497 miles of range in total, can hit a top cruising speed of 155 mph, although it can briefly sprint up to 171 mph. Accelerating from 0-62 mph allegedly takes only 4.2 seconds, and Pininfarina says the concept car emits only 45 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer traveled, thanks in large part to the efficient, clean-burning turbine.